Jack box



June 1927" I R. M. DIENER JACK BOX F1196! Dec. 1. 1924 19 M WW PatentedJune '21, 1927.

UNITED STATES 1,632,788 PATENT OFFICE.

RILEY M. DIENER, OF ELKHART, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TOCHICAGO TELEPHONE SUPPLY COMPANY, OF ELKHART, INDIANA, A CORPORATION OFDELAWARE.

JACK BOX.

Application filed December 1, 1924. Serial No. 753,062. I

My invention relates to telephony andmore particuarly provides a jackbox used in connection withradio receiving instruments to permit aplurality of head telephones to be connected to the receivinginstrument.

Itis often desirable, in operating a radio receiving instrument, topermit several listeners to employ head phones which may be plugged inor cut out, as desired. It is also desirable at times to be able tolisten in with the head phones while a station is tuned in for the loudspeaker and then to disconnect the head telephones and permit thereception to proceed on the loud speaker.

According to my invention, I provide a simple and inexpensive structurefor permitting the insertion of one or more receiving circuits into thetelephone circuit of a radio instrument. or the like.

I find that it is advisable to connect the instruments, that is, thetelephone instruments, inseries in the receiving circuit, par- Calticularly when employed in connection with the loud speaker, since withthe two instruments in series, the noise on the head telephones is notexcessive while the station is being tuned in, and then as soon as theproper tuning has been performed, the head telephones may bedisconnected and the loud speaker operated alone either with furthercurrent or with the same amount of current as used when the headtelephones were in series.

each instrument is afforded and the loudness-- desired may be securedby,....throwing"additional current..or additiohal power upon thereceivii'i'g circuit.

In order to make the structure as simple and inexpensive as is possible,I have arranged to use a minimum number of standard parts.

In order to acquaint those skilled in the art with the manner ofconstructing and op erating a device embodying my invention and theadvantages which may be secured thereby, I shall now describe inconnection with the accompanying drawings a specific embodiment of theinvention.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a front view of the jack box of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken on the line 2-2 showing thestructure of the jacks;

Fig. 3 is a cross section takenon the line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an isometric View of one of the jack frames or brackets;

Fig. 5 is an isometric view spring; and Fig. 6 is a side elevationalview of a plug which is adapted for use in connection with a jack box ofmy invention- As shown in the drawings, I provide a four-sided woodenbox or frame having the ends 1, top 2 and-bottom 3 for forming a housingfor a series of jacks 4. The back of the housing is closed by a panel 5of fiber, hard rubber, or, preferably, material marketed under the tradenames of Fbakelite and celoron. In this panel I provide an opening at 6throughwhich projects a flexible two-conductor cord 7 At its front end,the housing is closed by er the jack a similar panel 8, having aperturesthrough which project the threaded sleeve members 9, these sleeves beingthreaded as indicated at 10 and having hexagon shaped heads 11 by whichthey may be turned. Suitable washers 12 lie back of the hexagon heads 11to permit the threaded sleeves 9 to be drawn up tight without marringthe surface of the panel 8. Back of the panel 8 each sleeve 9 threadsinto the base or foot member 13 of a jack frame or bracket 14. The footof the bracket or jack frame 14 has a threaded aperture 15 to which thethreaded sleeve 9 projects, this foot member 13 serving as a nut forclamping the foot 16 of the jack sprin'g member 17 The ack spring member17 in each case is made of spring stock, the lower portion of which isenlarged, as indicated at 16, to form a foot, and having. the opening 18through which the threaded sleeve 9 may pass to clamp the spring to theback of the panel 8. The spring of one jack is held under the foot'ofthe jack frame member of the adjacent jack. This spring member 17 has abump or sharp bend 19 which is adapted to drop into the groove 20 of aplug member with which it cooperates, the hump being of such characterand position as to hold the outer end or tip 21 of the particular spring17 out of contact with the outer end or tip 22 of the cooperating jackframe member 14. The tip 21 of the spring member 17 has a point formedthereupon, as by means of a sharp prick punch to give concentratedpressure upon the point for securing good electrical contact between thespring and its adjacent frame.

1 have shown in dotted lines at 24, a plug member inserted in one of thejacks and have shown the spring 17 thereof as moved over to the rightinto dotted line position, so as to break the contact between theparticular spring 17 and its cooperating frame member 14. This, however,puts the plug 2% in series with the circuit so that an instrumentconnected to the plug may be inserted in series in the receiving circuitwhich includes the jacks 4, the cord 7 and the remainder of thereceiving circuit indicated by the terminals 25 on the receiving setindicated at 26.

The cord 7 is shown as provided with the usual tips 28, but it is to beunderstood that this may be varied by substituting any other form ofterminal such as spade clips or tips, or a plug such as indicated at 29in Fig. 6, if so desired.

The front and rear panels 5 and 8 are held upon the frame by means ofsuitable wood screws. The cord 7 has spade tips at its inner end, one ofthe tips indicated at 30 being fastened under the machine screw 31 whichis threaded into a hole 32 formed in the jack frame member 14, shown atthe left of Fi 2. Each one of these jack frame mem ers is punched with ahole 32, but only the end one is threaded, since it is unnecessary tothread the intermediate frame member. The end jack spring, indicated atthe right of Fig. 2, is fastened by means of the machine screw 32 andthe clamping nut 33 which hold this particular spring element 17 againstthe inside surface of the panel 8. The spade terminal 34 is held'uponthe machine screw 32 by the additional nut 34, so that these parts areall firmly in mechanical and electrical contact.

In the use of the device, the tips 28 are connected to theaudiofrequency receiving circuit indicated at the terminals 25 so as toput the jack box in series in said receiving circuit. The loud speaker36 is then connected in the circuit by means of the plug 37 by insertingsaid plug in the jack and forcing the spring 17 out of contact with theframe 14, said spring 17 making contact with the tip of the plug and thesleeve and frame being 1;} electrical contact with the sleeve part ofthe plug. Now, if desired, the head telephones 38 may be connected inseries for proper tuning and adjustment of the receiving circuit, as bymeans of the plug 39, which may be plugged into any one of the remainingjacks in series with the loud speaker 36. As soon as the circuit isproperly tuned and adjusted, the plug 39 may be withdrawn and the loudspeaker 36 remains in circuit. The degree of loudness of the receptionmay be adjusted in any of the well known ways now understood by thoseskilled in the art.

The box is preferably provided with a felt base indicated at 10, so thatthe same may be laid upon a finished surface without injury to the same.

While I have described my invention in connection with a particularembodiment, and more particularly in connection with a jack box, it isto be understood that the arrangement of jacks may be employed as abuilt in' construction as part of a radio receiving set.

apertures, said sleeves having heads, rigid L-shaped brackets havingfoot members threaded upon the sleeves, cooperating springcontactmembers having each a foot member clamped flat against the inside of thepanel and being in contact with the next adjacentbracket foot member,eachsprmg having a bend adapted to contact with and be held by the tipof a connecting plug.

3. A series of jacks connected in series 1n 2. receiving circuitcomprising each an L- shaped jack frame member having a foot, a threadedsleeve for each jack for clamping the foot against a supporting panel,and d1- agonal spring members extending between the outer end of onejack frame member and the foot of an adjacent jack frame member, eachspring having a portion adapted to be engaged by a plug for separatingthe outer end of the jack frame and its spring and for putting the plugin series in the circuit. 4. In combination, a relatively low box framehaving a front panel, a series 015 Ja mounted on said front panel, eachjack havin an L-shaped jack frame member having a cot, a threadedthimble having a head outide 9f. the p nd th aded into the foot of theadjacent jack frame member, and diagonal spring members extendingbetween the foot of one jack frame member and the inner end of anadjacent jack frame member, and a cooperating plug adapted to enthepanel independently of said frame and thimble.

6. In combination, a panel, an L-shaped jack frame having a foot, athreaded thimble projecting through the panel, said thimble having ahead on the outside of the panel, and a diagonal spring having a footmember lying under'the foot member of the frame and clamped between thefoot member of the frame and the inner surface of the panel. 7 Incombination, a receiving circuit having a pair of circuit terminals, apanel, a plurality of series connected jacks comprising a plurality ofjack frames and a plurality of jack springs normally in contact withsaid frames, means for clamping said jack frames and springs to saidpanel, the jack springv for the last jack being held to said panel bymeans independent of said last named means, one of said' circuitterminals being connected to the frame of the first jack and the otherto the independent holding means for the spring of the last jack, andplugs connected to separate pieces of electrical apparatus adapted to beassociated with said jacks for connecting said apparatus in series withsaid circuit.

8. In combination, a panel having a plurality of jack openings, aplurality of jack frame members fastened to the panel, a plurality ofjack spring members, there being one connected to each frame member, andfastenin means for each frame member and its assoclated spring memberfor fastening said members to the panel adjacent the jack openingassociated with the frame member, said spring members being arranged sothat they are normally connected in series with the frame members.

9. In combination, a circuit having a pair of circuit terminals, a panelhaving a plurality of jack openings, a plurality of series connectedjacks connected to the panel comprising a plurality of jack framemembers fastened to the panel, a plurality of jack spring members, therebeing one connected to each frame member, and fastening means for eachframe member and its associated spring member for fastening said membersto the panel adjacent the jack opening associated with the frame member,said spring members being arranged so that they are normally connectedin series with the frame members, one of said terminals being connectedto the frame member of the first jack in the series and the other to thespring member of the last jack and plugs connected to separate pieces ofelectrical apparatus adapted to be associated with said jacks forconnecting said apparatus in series with said circuit.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 26th day ofNovember, 1924.

RILEY M. DIENER.

